Travel carbon monoxide detector – Do we need one?

The following is an article I recently wrote for Mommy Nearest in my role as an Expert Mom.

One of our responsibilities as parents is to ensure the safety of our children as much as we can. Understanding that we cannot control everything, we still do our best to keep them out of harm’s way. When they’re toddlers, we put up baby gates in the house so they don’t go tumbling down the stairs. When they’re out bike-riding, we make sure they’re wearing their helmets. When they’re teenagers and begin driving, we stress the importance of wearing seat belts.

These are measures we take at home. How about when we travel? Do we ease up at all? I know I don’t. If we’re traveling to a new destination and looking for places to stay, I research the surrounding neighborhoods and even ask local residents via social media about the area. I read property reviews. I do whatever I can to eliminate factors that would put my family in danger. So when I heard a story about a young boy dying of carbon monoxide poisoning at a hotel, I was floored. First of all, the tragedy had me reeling because I couldn’t imagine losing one of my own children. Secondly, of all the traveling my family has done – and even solo travel I’ve done – not once has the thought of a carbon monoxide detector entered my mind while planning and researching. Does this make me an irresponsible parent? Does this mean I love my children any less? Does it make me a bad traveler?

“The State of Illinois Public Act 094-0741 requires that a carbon monoxide detector be installed within 15 feet of all sleeping rooms of all dwelling units. This may require multiple detectors for homes or apartments. The law applies to single-family homes, duplexes, townhouses, apartments, hotels, and motels.”

Does this mean that a carbon monoxide detector should be in every single hotel room in the state of Illinois, each of which is a “sleeping room”? What about other states? What about other countries? My family is preparing for a trip to Europe where we will be staying in apartments; will they be equipped with detectors?

The young boy in the news story I heard was eleven years old and staying at a hotel in Boone, North Carolina, with his mother. It was later discovered that the exhaust pipe of the hotel’s swimming pool heater was damaged and leaking lethal amounts of carbon monoxide. Even more chilling, an elderly couple had perished in the exact same room, also from carbon monoxide poisoning, just seven weeks prior.

North Carolina now has a law in place requiring carbon monoxide detectors in some areas of hotels, but there are no federal regulations, unlike smoke detectors. Will this stop my family and me from traveling? Of course not. Have I considered purchasing a travel carbon monoxide alarm to bring along on our trips? I’d be lying if I said no. Lastly, will I be more diligent in asking questions about carbon monoxide detectors at our lodging sites when we do travel? Absolutely.

This makes me think I need to make sure the one in my house operates properly. Usually when we look for lodging we’re more concerned about how clean it is, location, price, etc. We don’t think as much about the safety concerns.

wow, hopefully it doesn’t require a law before hotels start putting in such detectors, apparently they are needed… I know in NY we have to have one in our home (apartment), that is the law, but hotels – not sure. I’ll be sure to ask at my next check in.
stay adventurous, Craig

This is terrifying. It’s scary what can happen in the places we rest our heads while traveling. I remember reading several stories about people dying in SE Asia because they were allergic to the sprays the hotels were using to prevent bed bugs. I guess it’s better to check ahead and to be safe rather than sorry.

Meet Francesca and Her Family

Francesca is a Chicago-based travel blogger and working mom of one nerdtastic little girl and the sweetest boy in the universe. Francesca aims to show that working parents, like her and her husband, can still enjoy what they fancy in life after having kids. For Francesca, it is travel - with and without her family - music, and premium beverages, including craft beer and bourbon.